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Avril Knows started out as a portrait of a little girl. The portrait was part of a larger series of paintings, “The Kids of the Semerian Kingdom.” That series of 8 large paintings were designed to be related, while each portrait stands on its own as a painting. I designed the portrait of Avril to meet three requirements:

1.Reflect what I knew about the subject and what I wanted to say in her representation.

2.Fit in seamlessly with the other 7 paintings in the series.

3.Match the modern aesthetic in the home of the subject.

Once the portrait was done and I was explaining the meaning of the symbolism to Avril & her family, it became apparent to me that there were no positive mainstream messages for children like this. You see, Avril has a severe nut allergy. Now looking at this painting you might not see how we are talking about a nut allergy or how it has affected Avril’s personality and what her potential might be as a result, do you? Well, that is the story of Avril Knows. The book provides a positive message to kids like Avril who can walk away thinking they just might have a superpower in exchange for learning to deal with some of their medical challenges. More…